BREAKING NEWS |

Over 69,000 Zimbabwean Girls Aged 10 to 19 Gave Birth In 2022

April 4, 2023April 4, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

DESPITE continued efforts to reduce early pregnancies in Zimbabwe, data shows that adolescent girls between 10 and 15 years are falling pregnant and giving birth largely due to harmful practices that include early child marriages and sexual abuse. By Michael Gwarisa Disaggregated data on the Distribution of Births by Age of Mother released during the launch of the Zimbabwe Statistical Agency (Zimstat) Vital Statistics Report shows that 696 girls aged 10 to 14 gave birth in 2022. A total of 69,335 adolescent females aged 10 to 19 had live births…

WHO Predicts A 10 Million Global Shortage Of Healthcare Workers By 2030

April 4, 2023April 4, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

THE Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health which kicked yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland, amplified calls for increased investment towards developing and recruiting more healthcare workers in the face of an impending global human resource catastrophe. By Michael Gwarisa According to World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, severe disruptions to health systems have led to excess mortality and avoidable deaths in many countries, reversing previous improvements in healthy lives and well-being and the single largest cause of disrupted health services during the pandemic was the…

1 in 6 people globally affected by infertility: WHO

April 4, 2023 Healthtimes

Large numbers of people are affected by infertility in their lifetime, according to a new report published today by WHO. Around 17.5% of the adult population – roughly 1 in 6 worldwide – experience infertility, showing the urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need. By Own Correspondent The new estimates show limited variation in the prevalence of infertility between regions. The rates are comparable for high-, middle- and low-income countries, indicating that this is a major health challenge globally. Lifetime prevalence was 17.8% in…

Over 3000 Sexual Violence Offenses Committed In Zimbabwe In 2022 Final Quarter

April 3, 2023April 3, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

DATA from a Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency (Zimstat) Crime Situation Report reveal that Zimbabwe recorded a total 3,175 Sexual Violence criminal offenses between October and December 2022. By Michael Gwarisa The information contained in the Zimstat report is based on data collected from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Crime Report and Disposal System. According to Mr Taguma Mahonde, the Zimstat Director General, there was a 12 percent increase in recorded criminal offenses in the last quarter of 2022. The number of recorded offenses increased by 12 per cent, from 185,660…

WHO Tells Countries To Increase Graduation Numbers Of Healthcare Personnel

April 3, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

In order to curb chronic shortages of health workers in low and middle income countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised all countries to increase graduation of health personnel to reach 8-12% of the active workforce per annum. By Michael Gwarisa The call comes a few weeks after the World Health Organization (WHO) released an updated WHO health workforce support and safeguards list 2023, identifying 55 countries including Zimbabwe, as vulnerable for availability of health workers required to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal target for universal health coverage…

Harare Tells Residents To Disinfect Both Borehole And Tape Water, As Cholera Closes In On Big Cities, Eight Provinces Record Deadly Diarrhoeal disease

April 2, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

WHAT started as a single suspected Cholera case in Chegutu a month ago, could soon become a full blown epidemic in Zimbabwe, amidst indications that only two out of the 10 administrative provinces in the country are yet to record confirmed cases of Cholera. By Michael Gwarisa According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), eight provinces so have recorded cases of Cholera since the beginning of 2023, with cases in the eight provinces having no epidemiological link to each other. However, only Harare and Bulawayo have no…

Licensed Zim Medicinal Cannabis Producers Getting Big Headed

March 31, 2023 Kuda Pembere

SOME players who received licenses to produce Medicinal Cannabis four years ago are reportedly skirting some of the legal provisions in their operations such as informing the health ministry permanent secretary before commencing production of the cannabis. By Kuda Pembere With the industry fairly in its infancy stage, MCAZ has since licensed 59 players for the production of medicinal cannabis. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of an MCAZ-medicinal cannabis producers interface workshop, the regulator’s Director General Mr Richard Rukwata said during inspections they noted the players have been…

WHO certifies Azerbaijan and Tajikistan as malaria-free

March 31, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

A total of 42 countries or territories have reached the malaria-free milestone The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Azerbaijan and Tajikistan for achieving elimination of malaria in their territories. The certification follows a sustained, century-long effort to stamp out the disease by the two countries. “The people and governments of Azerbaijan and Tajikistan have worked long and hard to eliminate malaria,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Their accomplishment is further proof that, with the right resources and political commitment, eliminating malaria is possible. I hope that other…

WHO and the Inter-Parliamentary Union launch a new handbook on Universal Health Coverage

March 31, 2023 Healthtimes

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently participated in a number of joint activities at the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly which took place from 11-15 March 2023 in Manama, Bahrein. By Staff Reporter This collaborative work included the launch of the IPU-WHO Handbook on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which follows up on the 2019 IPU resolution on UHC. The handbook aims to introduce parliamentarians to the concept and importance of UHC and describe the key roles Members of Parliaments (MPs) can play to make progress by offering practical and actionable…

ABSA, Standard Bank agree US$193m funding deal to build new Zimbabwe hospitals

March 29, 2023 Healthtimes

Zimbabwe is to raise US$193 million in offshore lending to implement a 2019 agreement with UK infrastructure company NMS for the construction of hospitals and clinics in the country. NEWSWIRE ABSA and Standard bank of South Africa are the joint arrangers for the transaction, which will be insured by Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa. The original contract saw NMS building clinics at Stoneridge in Harare and Cowdray Park in Bulawayo. The initial phases of the project, which also include four other hospitals, have been funded by the Zimbabwe…